The Warriors Blew a 3-1 Lead. NBA Mid-Season Update - by Ben Galli

Right around this time of year, usually a week after the Super Bowl and over a month before MLB Opening Day, the NBA takes center stage.  It's called "All Star Weekend."  Well past the midway point of the regular season but still pretty much the official starting point of the NBA's stretch run to dominate the sports landscape.

2017 started with a bang right after the All Star Game itself.  Reports surfaced and were later confirmed of a blockbuster trade sending one of the league's most dominant young players to team up with perhaps THE most dominant young player in the league.  (As with all things, Kristaps exempted.)

The hapless Sacramento Kings traded mercurial star DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins, a 6'11/270 pound offensive force averaging 27 and 10 while shooting a career high 35% from the 3 point line to the New Orleans Pelicans, where he can team with "The Brow," 6'11 Anthony Davis, himself averaging nearly 28 and 12 a game.  This is a big time transfer of talent giving the Pellicans  two superstars in the front court along with point guard Jrue Holiday, it's the Big Easy's, Big Three.

Cousins and Davis are both bigs that can shoot from the outside, and score from anywhere.  It will be interesting to see these former Kentucky Wildcats stars learn to play with each other and exploit match-ups in virtually every game.  And because New Orleans is 2.5 games out of the 8th playoff spot, a first round matchup with the Golden State Warriors looms, a team that has struggled against skilled big men.  

A few more thoughts and questions answered from the season so far.

^^You can fast forward to about the :43 second mark listen to what the fan yells out or you can watch some dunks from Saturday night beforehand.

MVP - This one's hard and perfectly encapsulates the major rift in schools of thought when it comes to MVP debates.  Should it go to the player having the best season or the player helping his team win the most?  Russell Westbrook is AVERAGING a triple double but finds his Thunder team as the 7th seed in the West while James Harden is averaging 29, 11, and 8 for the 4th best team in the entire league this year.  Reminds me of the 2012 AL MVP race when Miggy Cabrera got the Triple Crown.  I don't see how you can't give it to a guy averaging a FREAKIN' triple double and has his team in the playoffs a year after losing their best(?) player.

The Warriors Strikes Back - The Evil Empire franchise of the NBA may reside in the Bay Area now.  Although they'll never reach Lakers levels of being hated (because people are intimidated by sustained greatness) there is plenty of disdain and general jeering in the Warriors direction.

They're doing just fine with the addition of Durant, giving them a Fab Four that simply cannot be matched anywhere in the league, Kyle Korver be damned.  It's fine that they've already lost 9 games, matching last year's record total.  Something tells me the Warriors aren't concerned with breaking regular season records as much as they are on learning how to not blow 3-1 leads in the Finals.  Although I'd never count San Antonio out, barring unforeseen injury, right now, I don't see the Warriors losing in the Western Conference.

The State of the Cavs - The state of the Cavaliers, as always, revolves around LeBron and LeBron's twitter tantrums.  When LeBron takes it to the streets of social media  admirers and detractors alike, shake their heads.  Why does the most powerful player in the world need to post passive-aggressive tweets requesting help when his team already won the championship the year before with the highest payroll in the league?    A couple thoughts on this:

• LeBron doesn't care what you think.  He hasn't for a long time.  He's King James and if kings cared a lot about how everyone felt, they wouldn't have abandoned their homeland to go to Miami to train under a wizard while at the same time setting the stage for a comeback to a team with young talent (and Anthony Bennett).  
• LeBron cares more about his legacy than Dan Gilbert does.  His legacy's rise in stature is directly correlated to the number of banners he raises.  And as he's openly admitted he's chasing Jordan, how important is a championship really to Dan Gilbert's bottom line?  Is it a coincidence that Forbes put out this article soon after Bron's comments?  Both men reaching out in their realms of influence.  Is there a "deep state" working behind the scenes within the Cavs organization?
• Maybe this is how LeBron motivates himself or his teammates.  Maybe he's doing this solely for Kay Felder.  But we've seen this song and dance before.  LeBron seems to think making his concerns known publicly puts pressure on those making the basketball decisions.  And if the past predicts future, LeBron seems to get his way in these situations.

The Cavs have shown some signs of struggle but they've also been a little banged up. I don't see them in any trouble at all and I think they actually have an easier road to the Finals than Golden State.  The East is steadily improving but the West is still the best.  And although it's difficult to advise doing anything to a team that just won a championship, the Empire did just get Sith Durant.  With J.R. and K. Love out for a while, the Cavs are most likely going to make a move.  It will be interesting to see what they give up to get the playmaker LeBron is looking for.  And although Melo would be an amazing addition, it's probably too risky to give up Love for him.  I'd look for a point or combo guard.  Lou Williams would not be a bad pick up.  

WWE Royal Rumble 2017 - Top to Bottom by Big Vin Vader

Royal Rumble 2017    -    Top to Bottom  

Follow @bigvinvader

This year’s Royal Rumble was a great example of a satisfying, crowd-pleasing PPV, even if few of the best moments came during the titular match itself.  Thankfully, the Rumble was far from terrible, even with a disappointing line-up and unsatisfactory finish.  The undercard, however, provided an amazing title match from each brand, as well as a damn fine Women’s Championship match and an unspectacular Cruiser Weight match.  Regardless of the show’s downfalls, the Rumble deserves its stature for dictating the course of the coming year.  Not only is the challenger for the main event of WrestleMania decided, but a handful of storylines are set up during the match.  And it’s been a long time since WWE delivered two title matches as satisfying as these, let alone on a single PPV card.  Furthermore, all four of the contests preceding the Rumble were title matches the stakes, which raised the stakes as well as fan interest in each one.

The Undercard

The Charlotte-Bayley feud is still pretty fresh, beginning last month during the Columbus RAW.  There’s a decent story in place between the two, again dating back to NXT, dealing with Charlotte’s undefeated PPV streak and the fact that Bayley has beaten her twice now.  While not as fiercely competitive or developed as last year’s Charlotte-Sasha rivalry, things are off to a good start, and there looks to be plenty of room for the feud to continue to build.
    The two kicked off the Rumble’s undercard with an impressively physical bout that was undoubtedly the best way to start the show.  The match was fast-paced and incredibly hard-hitting from the beginning, so much so that even the obligatory rest hold a few minutes in seemed well-deserved.  Bayley’s offense was credible from the start, and she initially seemed to get the better of the champ.  The best spot came when Bayley hit Charlotte across the jaw with a very Randy Savage-esque elbow drop, drawing blood.  Charlotte was in fantastic form as always, quickly taking charge of the match.  The only problem, and it’s getting to be a reoccurring thing, was the sheer abruptness of the finish, which again saw Charlotte victorious.  Climbing down off the top rope, Charlotte hit a Natural Selection on the apron and put Bayley away before the fifteen-minute mark.  The match itself was terrific, but the ending was way too sudden, and the whole thing would not have overstayed its welcome lasting a few more minutes.

Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns’ feud for the Universal Title has been about as underwhelming as KO’s reign as champion.  Chris Jericho’s interference was put to rest as he was suspended—a la Paul Ellering—above the ring in a shark cage.  There was a lot of buzz that Roman would claim RAW’s top prize, and that speculation frankly pissed me off.  It’s one thing to tell Owens as well as the fans that he’s ineffectual on his own, and another entirely to prove it outright and hand him a definitive loss.  Thankfully, Owens not only pulled off a surprise victory, but both men came out of the match looking great.
    The no disqualification stipulation was met with skepticism—why offer that kind of leeway if you don’t want interference on Owens’ behalf?—but that was all squashed as the wrestlers pulled out all the stops for this one.  Making use of countless tables, chairs, and plenty of vicious brawling on the outside, the match totally delivered.  It was so physical and savage, it’s almost easier to list some of the most impressive moments, including a frog splash from Owens off the top rope sending Reigns through a table, as well as a Stone Cold Stunner from the champ.  On his end, Reigns hit KO with a big Samoan drop through a steel chair, and a powerbomb through the main announce table, nearly picking up the win.  The most impressive spot of the entire night was WWE’s response to the incredible table spot from Okada and Omega’s already-legendary match at Wrestle Kingdom 11.  Owens set up seven steel chairs, house of cards-style, on the outside, and for seventeen minutes the two teased their going through the stack.  Reigns finally punched Owens off the top corner ringpost, sending him through the tower.  It was one of the most painful things I’ve seen in weeks, and I’m amazed Owens was able and willing to do it.  Incredible.
    Reigns had the match won following that, but Braun Strowman came out, chokeslamming him onto another announce table, which refused to give, and ultimately dropped him with a powerslam through a corner-propped table.  This allowed Owens, amazingly, to pick up a clean win under the stipulations and retain his title.  Even without Jericho’s interference, this wasn’t exactly satisfying, but they made the right move in making Owens look vulnerable, yet allowing him a clean win.  Once again, Roman Reigns proves he can deliver very good matches, and while Owens was the true star here, Reigns more than held his own.  Great match.

There was no doubt that John Cena and AJ Styles would put on an incredible match following their SummerSlam classic.  This rematch absolutely delivered, and nearly equaled their contest last August.  The story was built-in, with Cena wanting to avenge his loss, as well as win the World Title in order to tie Ric Flair’s sixteen championship reigns.  This made the outcome hardly a surprise, but even most John Cena detractors must feel the match lived up to its hype.  The Alamodome looked packed, and the crowd reaction was deafening throughout the entire match.
    There was little downtime, and the two traded some excellent back-and-forth action from the start. Cena looked absolutely determined throughout—in fact, half the time John looked downright deranged in his mission to score the win.  On top of that, he pulled off a number of surprising maneuvers he rarely brings out.  There weren’t any huge spots, but both wrestlers used nearly every move in their arsenal to try and put their opponent away.  This led to numerous finishers being hit and kicked out of, most notably AJ talking an AA from the second rope and still managing to escape the pin.  For his part, Cena took several Styles Clashes to the same effect.  Most impressive was a long exchange of submissions in the middle of the ring midmatch, which provided some nice ground action, with Cena locking in a Figure Four in a nod to Flair’s record.
    The sheer number of finishers, power moves, and near falls kept things exciting, and it’s amazing that they went twenty-five minutes given the ferocity of their strikes.  Cena picked up the win after catching Styles on the ropes and delivering another AA.  Not content, John rolled over AJ and dropped him with one more, finally getting the pin.  I’m no big John Cena fan, but even I’ll admit he deserved the win after such an effort.  It remains to be seen what each man’s direction will be in the coming months, but they can sit tight knowing they kicked 2017 off right.

I had high hopes for the Cruiser Weight title match between Neville and Rich Swann, particularly as they’re two of the division’s best pure talents, but I was ultimately let down.  Neville’s heel turn and debut in the division was much-needed, and it was absolutely the right call to have him leave with the title.  The match itself, however, belonged on RAW or even 205 Live, and just served to reflect how WWE have neutered the division since the Cruiser Weight Classic last summer.  There were few high spots and little flying from either man, with the whole thing working more as a stiff ground-based battle.  Still, Neville’s new submission finisher looked absolutely vicious, and it will be interesting to see where he takes the division as champion.  The most disappointing match of the night.

The Royal Rumble

There was a lot of talk about this year’s Royal Rumble, with The Undertaker, Goldberg, and Brock Lesnar all announced as entrants.  On top of that, there were rumors that Kurt Angle could possibly return, same for a rehabbed Finn Balor, and even talk that Samoa Joe would finally debut on the main roster.  Finally, there was the sheer excitement of the fact that there was no single, clear-cut winner going into the match.  Of course, hardly any of that mattered given the way that things were handled.  Regardless, here’s a brief rundown of what happened during the hour-plus match:

The periods seemed to be somewhat shorter than two full minutes much of the time.
Chris Jericho did very little but was in over an hour and broke Triple H’s record for cumulative time spent in Rumbles.
Braun Strowman (#7) dominated the ring for his time in the Rumble, racking up several eliminations, and looked pretty good while doing it.  He’s being properly booked as a monster heel and has a purpose on the roster at last.
Tye Dillinger debuted from NXT at #10, garnering a huge reaction.  Of course, Tye was the only surprise entrant, and even his presence was hardly a secret.  We’ll have to see which brand he gets drafted to (hopefully SmackDown).
Baron Corbin shockingly eliminated Braun, showing that he, too, is being primed for a major push this year.
Sheamus and Cesaro (after losing the RAW Tag Titles on the preshow) eliminated all three members of the New Day, before Sheamus tried to turn on his partner.  Jericho dumped both of them out at once, and they continued to argue, creating the long-expected rift between them.
The Wyatt Family seemed to stick together, until distrustful Luke Harper hit Bray with a big lariat and tried to go for a Sister Abigail.  Orton interfered on Bray’s behalf, proving he’s been loyal all along, and another team split up.  This could sow the seeds for a very interesting storyline, and Harper should be given time to shine now.
Lesnar came out at #26 and proceeded to wreak havoc on everyone in the ring.
Goldberg was #28, eliminating Lesnar in a matter of seconds, receiving the biggest crowd reaction of the show.
That is, until the Undertaker appeared mid-ring as #29, getting an enormous pop from the entire Alamodome.  He took on Goldberg very briefly.
Roman Reigns was the unannounced final entrant, and the boos were deafening.  The Undertaker lowered his singlet straps and looked concerned as Roman headed to the ring, so their rumored WrestleMania match seems to be locked in.  This was only furthered as Reigns eliminated The Undertaker (go back and read that again).  I don’t think I’ve ever heard such an enormously negative reaction.  It was amazing how loud the crowd made their disdain, and rightfully so.
Orton, Wyatt, and Reigns were the final three, and Roman made quick work of Bray.  Thankfully, in a surprise upset, Randy Orton took out Reigns and won the Rumble, keeping the World Title on SmackDown winning yet-another WrestleMania main event.

What Next?

The Rumble itself only set up a few notable feuds for 2017, and raised several questions.  For the most part, the story lines we did get a glimpse of look to be interesting.  Sheamus and Cesaro have been a good odd couple team, and now that they lost their titles to Gallows and Anderson they have little reason to stick together.  As it stands now, it looks like they’ll continue their turn on one another rather than trying to win their belts back.  Of course, this is nothing new as their partnership came out of their Best-of-7 rivalry last year, which may raise some complaints.  I’m willing to run with it, especially given how fun those matches actually turned out to be.
    The most exciting of the new directions, as far as I’m concerned, is the Wyatt family’s dissolution.  Luke Harper never trusted Orton, and it would have made sense for the Rumble to be the place for Randy to turn on Bray.  However, Orton stayed loyal throughout the match, with Luke leaving the ring as the odd man out.  There were a few minutes near the end where it seemed like Orton and Wyatt would have to go one-on-one, but that never materialized.  There’s talk of just how many times Cena and Orton have already faced one another for the World Title, and while that’s valid, I don’t see Cena’s run with the belt lasting all that long.  He’s set to defend it next month at Elimination Chamber, and I’m willing to bet right now that he’ll lose it in that match so he can go on later to beat Ric Flair’s record.  It would be amazing to see Bray win the belt, not just because he deserves it after all these years, but because an Orton-Wyatt main event at WrestleMania would be something unique and truly different.  Of course, as a friend pointed out, “It’s WrestleMania season, which means it’s time to push the Wyatts for a couple months then bury them for the rest of the year.”  Let’s hope not.
    Reigns seems locked in for a short-term feud with Braun Strowman, before he takes the grand stage battling the Undertaker at WrestleMania.  Honestly, this isn’t the worst turn things could take.  ‘Taker is well past his prime, and it would serve better to have him go against a more-limited performer such as Reigns, rather than waste an incredible athlete such as Finn Balor (another rumored opponent) on what will inevitably be an underwhelming match.  It still remains unclear whether Braun is set to challenge for the Universal Title in the upcoming weeks (hopefully not), or if Reigns will come after Owens for another shot (also not preferable).
    Goldberg and Lesnar still look to be set for a final confrontation at WrestleMania, which provides an interesting issue.  Their disaster match at WrestleMania XX had Goldberg go over, just as he did at Survivor Series and now the Rumble.  We need to see a longer match of better quality, which Goldberg has often been unable to provide.  So, will we get a real battle between the two, or will it be another over-hyped squash?  And what does Lesnar think of taking so many losses?
    Jericho and Owens still seem set to face off at Wrestlemania, but there has been no major rift between the two to set it off.  It seems unlikely that the Universal Title would be on the line for such a match, unless the US Championship were also on the line.  If that’s the case, having Owens win the match and hold both titles would be a nice way to settle things definitively.  Hopefully he makes it to Wrestlemania with his title reign intact, it would be great to see him in one of the major matches.  Plus, I’m still holding out the hope that he and Balor square off once again with the Universal Title at stake.  It makes perfect sense for Finn to come after having been stripped of the title, and they’ve had several great matches in the past.
    Finally, John Cena and AJ Styles’ current directions remain to be seen.  Again, I doubt Cena’s title reign will last too long, but it also seems unlikely that AJ will win back the belt so quickly.  Sure, a Styles-Orton main event would be a good match, but it’s hardly interesting from a storyline perspective.  AJ’s future is the one most up in the air after his amazing debut year, and hopefully he’s put back into the title picture soon, but with a real direction

WWE 2016 Wrap Up and a Look into 2017 - Big Vin Vader

2016    -    Best & Worst and What’s to Come  - Big Vin Vader @bigvinvader

2016 ended up being a great year for the WWE, especially after such an incredibly rocky start.  The roster is stronger than ever, and the company wisely reached out to international talents to expand their reach and influence, not to mention the quality of programming.  That we saw events such as the Cruiser Weight Classic, and signings like Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles really shows how committed WWE is to improving their game and embracing the independent and global wrestling worlds.  On top of this, several wrestlers on the roster made marked improvements on their in-ring and promo work.  Dean Ambrose had a number of matches that revealed his growth as a wrestler, moving beyond the wild brawling he usually brings to the table.  The Miz dropped arguably the best promo of the year, then followed it up with a series of incredible matches which proved him to be the fighting champion many assumed he never could be.   And Alexa Bliss stepped up her heel game, standing out among such well-respected peers as Becky Lynch and Sasha and Charlotte, even winning the SmackDown Women’s title in a match that revealed her in-ring prowess as well.
    Things may not have gotten off to the best start, and the company made a number of regrettable decisions, even through the end of the year.  By late summer, however, it was apparent that there were big plans in effect, and the direction we’ve been presented with has been more satisfying than not.  Independent wrestling favorites have been pushed to the forefront as well as trusted with major titles, stupid gimmicks have taken a backseat for the most part, and several stars have proven themselves both for the first time and anew.  Beyond that, NXT is an incredible developmental brand, with several great veteran and younger performers.
    So, here’s my list, entirely subjective of course, regarding the ups and downs, as well as a few of my favorite matches of the year.

BEST

-Kevin Owens—I don’t even know where to begin with Kevin Owens, he’s one of my favorite things right now, period.  His in-ring work is tremendous, making him easily one of the best wrestling talents the company has.  On top of that, his mic work is top-notch, with his promos and backstage vignettes alike proving his all-around skills.  While his title reign hasn’t been great, it still does me good to see that the company (and especially Triple H) have faith in Owens and his abilities by keeping the Universal Title on him for so many months.  Of course, all of that could be squandered come the Royal Rumble if Reigns wins and, effectively, proves the assertions that Owens is an ineffectual champion without Jericho’s help.  Regardless of whether he retains or loses the title at the Rumble, 2017 should prove to be a big year for KO, and he’s already proven himself to the fans and company alike.

-AJ Styles—One of the greatest workers in the world signs with the company he was never expected to join, and somehow manages to take everything by storm.  The fans are totally behind AJ, even as a heel, and he’s put on the most consistent string of matches of nearly anyone on the main roster.  WWE has big plans for him, and at no point has Styles made a misstep to prove them wrong in their confidence.  Nobody else even remotely seems like a good choice to be the World champion, and AJ is so talented that he makes all of his competition look downright ineffectual.  Hopefully with the promise of NXT call-ups and new signings, he’ll be presented with some credible challengers and be able to put on more classic matches (he already has several with both Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura).

-The Cruiser Weight Classic—Too many highs to begin to delve into here, although I do need to mention my introduction to Jack Gallagher and Lince Dorado, my favorites of the tournament.  From top to bottom, the CWC was one of the very best things on the WWE Network this year.  The diversity of the talent pool was amazing, and nearly every performer delivered at least one stellar match.  Some, like Kota Ibushi, Cedric Alexander, and TJ Perkins consistently brought hard-hitting, high-flying action to the table and earned scores of new fans.  The division may feel a bit watered down now that it’s made it to the main roster, but over the summer, there was no better place to go for impeccable technical wrestling.

-Women’s Wrestling—From the presence of the most talented female performers in company history, to the long-overdue move past the insulting Divas belt and title, 2016 was a fantastic year for Women’s wrestling in the WWE.  The matches that Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Bayley, Becky Lynch and others put on this past year equaled and in many cases bettered the performances of the men on the roster.  Not only were there better and more prominent matches on PPV cards, but the fan interest in the division finally equaled that of the men’s competition.  No longer is women’s wrestling filler on the card, and long gone are the days of lingerie and swimsuit competitions.  In terms of consistent quality and longevity, Charlotte and Sasha had arguably the rivalry of the year.  The women of WWE have all the talent in the world and their place in the company finally reflects that fact.  

-The Revival—Like watching a lost mid-80s tag team at the heights of their powers, killing every PPV match and working with the style and psychology of a lost art.  Hopefully they get called up soon, because as great as it is to have them in NXT’s very solid tag division, they have way more to offer the world and the timing would be perfect to continue their rivalry with American Alpha.  Such clear cut heels and faces are uncommon nowadays, especially when you consider how tremendous both teams are as far as technical wrestling ability.  SmackDown has a pretty damn weak tag division, and such smart, dominant heels are exactly what that brand needs to give it a kick in the ass.  They’ve already proven themselves at every NXT event they’ve worked, so why delay in bringing them to a bigger stage?

-Owens-Zayn Rivalry—I wasn’t hipped to their years of battling back and forth on the indies, but it shows exactly where WWE’s minds are at that they continued such a storied feud on their main programming.  Even more inspiring is how impressive the continued rivalry turned out to be on a larger stage, and Owens and Zayn’s matches early last year truly emphasized what top-notch talents they both are.  Indeed, they both stand, regardless of their respective pushes and positions in the company, as two of the best as well as most popular wrestlers in the WWE today.  Also worth noting is just how many great contests they’ve been able to put on since ending the feud for good, which shows just how deep their talents really are.

-RAW Live—It’s no secret that RAW is pretty hit-or-miss most weeks, with a definite advantage going to the latter side of the equation.  RAW’s December show in Columbus was a nice exception, a pretty consistent episode that provided some entertaining segments and some decent matches.  Even the matches that normally would have been filler didn’t overstay their welcomes, meaning the whole thing felt way more satisfying than it would watching from home.

-Hidden Gems collection on the Network—They found the Last Battle of Atlanta, the origin of Hell in a Cell as well as the Shark Cage clause that’s been busted out several times this year.  And that match is as brutal as it is historically important, a type of Southern hardcore wrestling that needed no barbed wire or weapons to make you understand the gravity of the spectacle.  Also included was one of Terry Funk’s finest moments in his “retirement” match with Bret Hart from a live ECW event in 1997.  Don’t miss it, the collection covers modern classics as well as matches of huge historical impact.

WORST

-Vader given 2 years to live—Obviously one of my favorite wrestlers of all time, and an awe-inspiring performer no matter what you think of him.  It’s a shame that he’s in such a bad state now, but his career record speaks for itself.  While I was floored upon reading the news, I hope that Vader is able to enjoy his remaining time, and appreciate the incredible impact he has made on the world of professional wrestling.  From me to Leon White: thank you for all of the entertainment and fantastic matches over the years.

-Wrestlemania 32 & SummerSlam—Somehow the company’s two biggest shows were two of its worst all year.  Add to that the fact that both were preceded by incredible NXT Takeover events, and the whole thing seems even more disappointing.  I had high hopes for both events, and while each did present some great matches (The IC ladder match and Women’s 3-Way at the former, Cena vs. AJ Styles at the latter), the events failed to coalesce as a whole and just felt poorly-booked and generally unsatisfying.  One would hope that WWE has learned from these mistakes, but as the year seems ready to start with another Roman Reigns push, you have to wonder how the major shows will fare.

-Finn Balor’s injury—I was completely on board with the massive push the company were giving Finn Balor, it was one of the best-executed moves of the entire year, and a decision anyone would have a hard time finding fault with.  Of course the whole thing fizzled just as it was beginning, and Balor’s injury at SummerSlam proved just one more disappointing moment on a card full of them.  The sidelining was one of the worst things that could happen to such a hot star, even if it gave Owens the title in the meantime.  Hopefully this year will bring the two former NXT champions together in another classic of a match.  Regardless, whenever Balor does make his full return, you can bet that he will continue to be pushed as one of the company’s top talents. 

-Various Storylines and Issues—As with any year, there are a ton of little complaints I can make about the way things progressed this year.  From the League of Nations, to the Social Outcasts, to “Make Darren Young Great Again,” the WWE showed just how little they know what to do with their undercard talents.  On top of this, there were the various releases of talented, yet misused wrestlers such as Damien Sandow, Wade Barrett, and others.  While the main roster and NXT are seemingly stronger than ever, things like this just stand to remind us of why the company is still struggling to find a place for its entire roster of talent nowadays.

-Daniel Bryan Retires—A tragedy no matter who you ask, this one blindsided fans early in the year.  One of the WWE’s most popular and gifted wrestlers forced to retire due to consistent serious injuries, not to mention the seizures he was reported to be having as well.  It’s nice to have him filling in as a talking head and authority figure, and his commentary work for the CWC was fantastic.  And of course his retirement led to one of the biggest what-if feuds of the year as the Miz continues to taunt Bryan.  Bryan wants to make a comeback, and god know the fans want him to, so hopefully his condition can improve with a little time off.

WHAT NEXT

-Rick Rude HOF induction—One of my favorite wrestlers of all time, a world-class performer and incredibly sound all-around worker.  I’ve watched more Rick Rude matches in the last few months than anyone else, and they don’t fail to entertain.  Seems like it’s possible and people are talking about it nowadays.  I realize Rude’s death reflected the tolls the business can take on performers’ bodies, so it seems possible that he’ll be overlooked in favor of safer options.  Regardless, it would be great to see the Ravishing One recognized on a massive stage just before Wrestlemania.

-Big year for Finn Balor—Not just Balor, but the other many indie wrestling talents on the roster as well.  The push Balor was getting reveals just how behind the former independent workhorses the company is now.  All of these guys, and the presumed future call-ups from NXT and the indies, have more than proved their worth over the past year and have been rewarded for their incredible performances.  On that note, I don’t want to see Kenny Omega in WWE.  Can you imagine a world where bored fans chant “CM Punk” during an Omega match?  I sure as hell can, and the work he’s been doing in New Japan is priceless, and should not be interrupted, especially since he’ll have less freedom in-ring.  Besides, look at how many offers he’s already refused.  That’s not someone eager to sign with the company.

-NXT call-ups: Samoa Joe, Shinsuke, the Revival—In the case of the former two wrestlers, their pedigrees speak for themselves, and it does seem kind of absurd that two world-renowned talents are still stuck in “developmental.”  However, they do have a very unique and important niche carved out in NXT, and it seems unlikely that they could get away with the kinds of full-contact matches and moves they’re utilizing at Full Sail.  The Muscle Buster (for better or worse) would likely have to go in Joe’s case, and we’ve all seen how WWE mismanages Japanese talents on the main roster.  On top of that, consider how important promos are to the main event picture on either RAW or SmackDown, and it seems less likely that Vince in particular will stand behind a wrestler like Shinsuke Nakamura.  In the case of the Revival, they happen to be much more suited to the main roster’s brand of sports entertainment.  My only reservation, however, comes with the fact that American Alpha seemed damn near on their way to being buried before their recent victory to claim the SmackDown Tag Titles.  Should their rivalry with the Revival continue on the main roster continue, we’re in good hands, but I don’t see things going nearly as smoothly as that.
 

FAVORITE MATCHES

-Dean Ambrose/Triple H (Roadblock)—No one expected Ambrose to win, but he put on a hell of a show, performing some impressive technical wrestling he hasn’t shown off since.  Great psychology in targeting Triple H’s leg and his mid-match use of submissions really got me going.  Only quibble, the finish: why have Dean rush in at 9 to beat the count then take a pedigree and go under? It’s insulting, and a count-out loss would have at least had a point.  But despite that, a match that frankly didn’t need to happen ended up being one of the first true surprises of the year, as far as my own wrestling viewing was concerned.  This match alone was more impressive and engaging than much of Ambrose’s (long-overdue, but woefully mismanaged) World Championship run.

-Ziggler/Miz—Career vs. Title (No Mercy)—It was hard to pick just one match from the incredible series these two put on this fall, but in the end this was the most emotional and inspiring of the three contests.  It was one of those few matches that truly seemed like the finish was up in the air.  The rumors about Dolph seeking a production role, as well as the success the Miz found in the latter portion of the year really made it seem like he would retain the IC belt and force Dolph into retirement.  Instead, we got the best, most exciting match I’ve yet seen from the two of them.  Forget about what happened in the aftermath, because the moment that Ziggler won this one was one of the best crowd reactions I heard all year, not to mention one of the most satisfying conclusions to a PPV contest the WWE managed to pull off.

-Styles/Cena—SummerSlam—This one was so good I had to watch it twice within 24 hours.  The fact that Styles beat Cena clean after his heel turn, as well as John’s disappearance from television for a few weeks afterward really stressed the importance of his victory.  It was such an intensely physical, back-and-forth contest that it seems almost impossible not to have been moved by the teased finishers and near-falls.  Another perfect example of why AJ Styles was one of the top performers of the year for WWE, not to mention case in point that John Cena is capable of some truly tremendous matches despite his mixed status with the fans at this stage in his career.  On top of everything else, this was the hands-down best match on the SummerSlam card, and was so exciting it almost made up for what a waste of time that PPV was otherwise.

-Sasha/Charlotte—HIAC—The historical qualities of this match really upped the ante, and despite the disappointment from some quarters, the whole bout proved to be just what we needed to see.  Sure, there were problems, like the injury fake-out that took up far too much time before the match, and the problematic finish, but overall this one was truly impressive.  The match was physical as hell, and there’s no denying that the crowd was entirely behind the two women taking the main event slot.  Charlotte proved yet again that she’s one of the best athletes on the entire roster, and Sasha put up a hell of a fight that made her look great, at least until the ill-advised title change in her hometown.  Hopefully this was a sign of what’s to come in the near future for the division.

-Revival-#DIY—Brooklyn Takeover II & Toronto—This one I wasn’t going to split hairs on since I genuinely feel both matches lived up to the same standard of quality.  The Brooklyn match was the first time I paid serious attention to either team and it instantly made me a fan.  I can’t recall any match holding me enthralled so quickly, and there was not a single wrong move made in either contest.  There was great tag team action, old-school psychology, satisfying finishes, and even the high-stakes addition of the NXT Tag titles changing hands.  This was a fantastic rivalry, the sort you don’t see often anymore, especially given such clear cut roles for both the faces and heels.  That the two teams put on another corker a few short months later, with a double tap-out finish that bettered the Revival’s initial win in August, speaks volumes about each individual’s incredible talents.

Big Vin Vader covers professional wrestling for Pencilstorm. follow @bigvinvader

RAW Comes to Columbus 12/19/2016 ---- Big Vin Vader

Editor's note: I sort of dropped the ball over the holidays and forgot to post this story. Who runs this place anyway? - Colin G.

Raw Comes to Columbus       follow@bigvinvader

    Just to get things out of the way: Roadblock: End of the Line was a pretty underwhelming show, peaking with the opening Tag Team Title match.  It was something of a surprise to see Sheamus and Cesaro win the Titles from the New Day after they broke Demolition’s record, but the whole thing was a quality, entertaining match.  The Iron (Wo)Man match between Sasha and Charlotte didn’t quite live up to expectations, although the image of Sasha finally tapping out with bloody nose made a lasting impression.  Not a great show, but that’s not what I’m here for today.
    I was finally able to make it in person and check out Raw from the Schottenstein Center Monday, December 19.  I’ve toyed with the idea of going in the past, but never followed through.  The last Raw in Columbus, the July 4th edition, was pretty abysmal, so I felt fine in skipping that.  This time around, I figured that the show would prove a little better, coming as it did on the heels of a PPV, and I wasn’t disappointed.  WWE delivered a pretty decent three-plus hours of wrestling, and started setting up some new feuds and angles for the coming year.  Bottom line, three hours for Raw doesn’t feel too bad when you’re there in person, and the energy and thrill of seeing the wrestlers up close makes the whole thing feel like less of a chore.  Here are a few things I took away from the Raw live experience.

Dark Matches

    There were two dark matches (taped for Main Event) before Raw went live, and while neither was particularly notable, they were fun.  First up was a pretty unremarkable affair between Goldust and Curtis Axel.  The match wasn’t memorable, but it was still cool to see Goldust in person.  Plus, the entertainment value went up a notch when you factor in R-Truth’s presence at ringside.
    Second was a Cruiserweight match between Tony Neese and Lince Dorado, my personal favorite in the division.  Turns out Columbus is not big on Tony Neese, and the crowd let him know several times.  They weren’t given much time, and the crowd really didn’t seem into the smaller competitors, but it was a fun match, with both men putting on a nice show.  Plus, it was pretty damn impressive to see Neese hit a 450 Splash live.
    One odd thing stood out about the pre-show matches though.  Floor seats were arranged in such a fashion that you had to stand for a good portion of the show to see what was happening.  The only time I was told by event staff to take my seat was during the Cruiserweight opener.  Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but it almost felt like the company didn’t want people to seem too into the Cruiserweights with the main roster still to come.

Crowd Reactions

    I was looking forward to hearing the crowd reactions live and in person, and what resulted was actually pretty surprising.  As I mentioned earlier, the crowd was not very into the Cruiserweights, and that held true for the live match between Noam Dar and Cedric Alexander.  It was just like any of the last few PPVs: the crowd was muted, but gradually warmed up to the Cruiserweights as they invariably put on an impressive display.  Cedric actually got a warm reception, but beyond that it seems like most of the crowd had little interest in the division.
    The New Day got a huge reaction, as expected, and put in another great promo, even without the Tag Team Titles as props.  Sheamus and Cesaro perfectly played off their opposing reactions from the crowd.  The Irishman got a wave of boos while the Swiss Superman got one of the best reactions of the night.  Nothing surprising there, but the two really know how to play up their feuding odd couple gimmick.
    If the countless signs, shirts and huge crowd reaction is anything to go off, Columbus is a big time Roman Reigns town.  That’s fine with me, I really have nothing against Roman, although I sure as hell don’t want to see the Universal Title on him.  Regardless, I was so used to the massively divided reactions he gets on PPVs that I was surprised to hear such support in town.  Watching the show back on TV it honestly sounded like the jeers were louder than what I heard live, but I can’t explain that.  
Owens, on the other hand, was not too popular with the crowd, drawing legitimate heat.  Of course, this just makes me like KO that much more, and it was good to see him rile people up so much.

The Matches

    The matches were a mixed bag, and only a few really stood out as that notable.  The Cruiserweight dark match was definitely worth seeing live, although the actual match between Alexander and Dar was too brief to really make an impact.  Big Cass vs. Rusev, and Sasha vs. Nia Jax were both less than a minute, and I can’t remember much about them, although it is refreshing to see Sasha going in a new direction creatively.  Titus O’Neil vs. Sin Cara was also under sixty seconds, but in all honesty I took that match’s announcement as a chance to run to the bathroom and hit the concession stand.  Long story short, Strowman ran out and squashed them both, then battled the Christmas set.
    That leaves the three major matches, and they were all pretty sound in quality, as well as more entertaining than most Raw fare.  The eight-man tag match (The New Day & Sheamus & Cesaro vs. The Shining Stars & Gallows & Anderson) was very enjoyable, with some nice action from the former Club members, as well as Cesaro, who picked up the win with a Sharpshooter.  The Charlotte-Bayley match was pretty impressive as well, going over fifteen minutes and delivering some crisp back-and-forth action while setting up the newest feud for current Women’s Champion, Charlotte.  Again, it’s nice to see the company actually moving on from the established feuds we’ve grown used to.  Also worth noting was how awesome it was to see Charlotte hit a picture-perfect moonsault live.
    The main event was a rematch of sorts from Roadblock, pitting Owens and Jericho against Reigns and Rollins in a tag team match.  It was nothing spectacular, but all four wrestlers put on a very solid show, with no one looking any weaker than the others.  The ending left a bit to be desired, as Strowman ran out once more and beat down Rollins and Reigns.  After the show went off air, the challengers ran out to lock Owens and Jericho in a shark cage, sending them into the rafters as the crowd streamed out.  It was entertaining, and set things up nicely for the future (Jericho will be suspended in the cage during Owens and Reigns’ Royal Rumble match), even giving Strowman more of a direction than he’s had recently.
The Look

    Probably the biggest surprise of the night, beyond even the crowd reactions, was just how good everything looked in person.  The Christmas set was a nice touch, adding some color and festivity to the event, and played into Strowman’s later rampages.  At the same time though, the Schott really felt smaller than other venues seen being used for Raw.  That just added to the overall feel of the show though, and the smaller crowd made the place look packed, which we all know WWE is big on.
    One of the bigger shocks was how good the belts looked under the live lighting.  Even the much-maligned Universal Championship belt looked great, shining like a true top prize on Owens’ shoulder.  The same goes for the women’s belt, but there are no complaints there anyway.  Of course, there was the unnecessary revelation of the new red-strapped Tag Team Titles, but that was just one minor moment. 
    Seeing the talent in person was also pretty impressive, and you really got a sense of just how imposing Strowman, Gallows, and Nia Jax are.  In the case of the latter, seeing her face to face with Sasha, and ultimately beating down the wounded former champion, was a nice touch as far as her monster heel status.  In a non-competition sense, Mick Foley is looking pretty damn good these days.  Still limping and haggard from all the years of hardcore matches and his own unique style, Mick looked slim and capable, which was really good after knowing of his health struggles in the past.
    One more thing of note, for any of you who may be curious, is just how hard the wrestler strike in the ring.  Those loud slapping noises from each kick, chop and forearm are the real deal, no dubbing in post.  It was impressive, and pretty damn cringeworthy, to hear the impacts and see the performers keep going with their match.

Overall

    Seeing Raw live was absolutely worth it, and I plan to be there in April with another update.  The show went by far more smoothly than it usually does on TV, and seeing the wrestlers live was more than worth it.  Even without much in the way of notable appearances and big moments, WWE treated Columbus to a handful of decent matches and entertaining segments in between.  As expected, the company is building some new feuds for the coming year, and I was glad to be there in person for the change in direction.  Even if we can’t expect much from a Big Cass-Rusev or Sahsa Banks-Nia Jax feud, at least the company is giving so many people something new to do.  One of the night’s best surprises was the return of Neville, following his heel turn at Roadblock.  Finally part of the Cruiserweight division, he cut a fantastic promo digging into the audience while voicing what must have been the very real frustrations that he and countless other underutilized wrestlers have experienced.  I’m looking forward to seeing what he does with his new ruthless role.
    So not only was the show pretty consistently entertaining, but the crowd was far less annoying than most in recent times.  There were fewer stupid chants and shout outs, and what seemed to be an actual interest in the wrestling itself.  Now I know that I, too, can own a replica title belt for the low price of $425, and the show was so consistent that I’m willing to not even complain about the $10 beers.

Picking the Next Round of NFL Playoffs and Trump Prop Bets - Brian Phillips

Well that Wild Card round was a real dumpster fire eh. Four games, four blow-outs.  I picked all the winners anyway, but that wasn't hard to do. This week for the divisional round I'll throw down a score and make a selection against the spread too. Plus, for some fun, I'll include some Trump prop bets from the UK, where those degenerates will bet on anything. 

(Trump lines courtesy of Paddy Power.)

Saturday January 14

Seattle at Atlanta

4:35PM/Fox

Atlanta -4 1/2

Trump to be impeached within 6 months: 4/1

A classic match up of a great Atlanta offense and the always stout Seattle defense. Back in week 6 the Seahawks held off the Falcons at home 26-24, but Atlanta will point to a late non- pass interference call that cost them a chance at a game winning field goal.

It was a strange game to be sure. The Falcons erased a 17-3 halftime deficit with three third quarter touchdowns to take the lead at one point. On the sidelines they had the Seattle defense screaming at each other. 

This time Atlanta's number one offense gets Seattle at home, and the Seahawks will have to go without injured safety Earl Thomas (out for the season with a broken leg). Running back C.J. Prosise has been upgraded to questionable after missing several weeks. He was huge in wins at New England and home to Philadelphia before getting knocked out against Eagles.

Seattle's terrible offensive line had a good game against Detroit because they could run the ball. If they fall behind and have to throw it's probably over. They literally cannot protect Russell Wilson. 

I'll take Seattle and the points, but Atlanta 28-26
 

Saturday January 14

Houston at New England

8:15pm

CBS

New England -16

Trump paints the White House gold 500 to 1

Vegas can't make this playoff record setting line high enough, and it's not hard to grasp why. If you want to bet against the Pats be my guest, but a lot of people have died on that mountain. Not me. Sure Houston's defense is capable of putting up a decent showing, but once the terrible Brock Osweiler turns the ball over three or four times this baby will turn into a massacre real fast.

Here enjoy this instead. 

I'll give you all of those 16 points and more in taking the Pats.

Patriots 38 Texans 13

Sunday January 15

Green Bay at Dallas

4:40PM

Fox

Dallas -5

Trump says "I'm very rich" during address. 25 to 1

Remember the last time these two met in the playoffs?

Who could forget! Skip Bayless is probably still talking about it. Anyway things are different two years later. The Cowboys have those rookies... Zeke and Dak, and together with that behemoth offensive line Dez Bryant no longer has to do everything. 

I would have picked the Packers here actually as they've looked so good of late, but Jordy Nelson, with his two broken ribs, has been ruled out. 

Brutal man. Yes the rest of the receiving corp has some talent, but are not terribly reliable when you need them most. Green Bay will miss Nelson greatly as they did last season. Meanwhile Dallas fielded the number one defense against the run in 2016 so this is all on Aaron Rodgers.

Want a blueprint for Dallas success Sunday? Look to their regular season tilt at Lambeau this season. Prescott was a tidy 18-27 for 247 yards and three touchdowns and Zeke Elliott rushed 28 times for a 157 yards in a 30-16 victory. That's it, that's the plan.

Green Bay won't turn it over four times as they did that day so I expect this to be a lot closer.

I'll take the Packers and the points, but Dallas 27-24.

Pittsburgh at Kansas City

Sunday January 15

8:20pm

NBC

Kansas City -1

Trump "Golden Shower" footage shows up online: 5/1.

You're not crazy. This game was scheduled for 1pm on Sunday, but the K.C. area is expecting a rather nasty ice storm Sunday To give everyone more time they've moved this one to prime time.

The Chiefs would get more credit here from the bookmakers at home, but the Steelers are a "public team." What that means basically is they have fans all over America and when those bros go to Vegas they get hammered and put their hard earned dough down on their favorite team God damn it! 

The sports books know this. The sharp money meanwhile will flow to the Chiefs. As we get to the weekend more drunk Steelers fans will pour into the casinos... That line will probably move in KC's favor. If I were a gambling man I'd be all over that shit.

The weather is going to be terrible and Big Ben has sucked on the road all year. This has officially become a thing. For whatever reason, he's great at Heinz Field, and almost Brock Osweiler on the road. 

The Chiefs have their own problems. Alex Smith is... Alex Smith. You can only go so far with this guy. KC will try to get things going on the ground with Spencer Ware, and of course a lot of all world tight end Travis Kelce.

For Pittsburgh they have to give the ball to Le'Veon Bell... 30 times at least. That weird hesitation thing he does is really starting to mess my head up. 

I'll take the home team with the sharp guys in lousy weather and a push on the -1.

KC 21 Pittsburgh 20.

Brian Phillips hosts the morning show on CD1025

CD102.5 DJ Brian Phillips Breaks Down the NFL Playoffs.

Brian Phillips hosts the morning show on the legendary independent radio station CD1025 in Columbus, OH. Tune in early and often.

Well there it goes... another NFL season gone into the ether. Last year is already long forgotten. Only two of the six NFC teams in the field were here last year (Seattle and Green Bay). While the AFC is more stable, the defending champion Broncos will not defend their title. Such is life in the NFL. The Patriots are good and the Browns are bad and we'll see about the rest. (Though the 49ers, Jags and Rams were pretty embarrassing too.)

Saturday January 7

4:30 PM  -  Oakland at Houston - ABC

Sadly for Raider nation Oakland goes into their first playoff appearance in 14 years without Derek Carr at the helm. He broke his leg week 15 and Matt McGloin left their season finale with a bum shoulder. Now Oakland turns to Michigan State's Connor Cook. No rookie in the Super Bowl era has been made a first time starter in the playoffs. 

There is good news though for the Raiders. The Texans have their own quarterback problems. Late in the season Houston finally pulled the plug on free agent bust Brock Osweiler for Tom Savage, only to have Savage concussed against Tennessee in their season finale. Because of Osweiler's shortcomings I'm certain Houston would love to run the ball, but Lamar Miller is far from 100 percent. This country is filled end to end with fantasy players who's season was ruined after drafting Texans wideout Deandre Hopkins in the first round. If Osweiler could just throw him the ball where he could catch it.... Probably too much to ask. 

The way forward for Oakland is on the ground as well. If Houston's top ranked defense has a relative weakness, it's against the run. Oakland will have to get something from Latavius Murray in this one. 

This may be close to unwatchable for all moms and wives. 

Houston 13 Oakland 10

8:30 PM - Detroit at Seattle - NBC

For the Seattle Seahawks this has been a weird year. A 9-3 loss in L.A. A 6-6 tie in Arizona. A loss at New Orleans. Falling 14-5 at Tampa Bay. Nearly losing to the hapless 49ers New Year's Day. And despite all that and more Seattle traveled to New England and beat the Pats back in November. They're hard to figure.

Cheers to long suffering Lions fans for getting into the postseason after the Redskins didn't bother to show up against the Giants January 1. With that result Detroit backs in on a three game losing skid. 

Despite their recent struggles, if the Lions can mount any sort of a pass rush Saturday against Seattle's putrid offensive line, they have a chance. The Seahawks couldn't even protect Russell Wilson at San Francisco, nor could they get much of a running game going. Detroit will have to dial up the pressure early and often and look to make big plays on defense. If Seattle's Thomas Rawls struggles to run again it could be another long day. 

For Seattle this game turns on their defense as well. Matthew Stafford needs to be harried and harassed all night. Zach Zenner gave Detroit's punchless running game a bit of teeth the final two games. They'll need some production from him again here.

Home field and that Seattle defense should be enough to get the Seahawks through this round. (The Lions are 0-10 life time in road playoff games). 

Seattle 20 Detroit 13

Sunday January 8th

1:00 PM -  Dolphins @ Steelers - CBS

Can you name the Dolphins starting running back week 1? It was Arien Foster and he's retired now. Against Pittsburgh in week 6 the Dolphins found their running game in Jay Ajayi who abused the Steelers 204 yards. With temps in the lower 20s Sunday and Miami a ten point dog it's a pretty simple formula. Look for Ajayi to get at least 30 carries. Quarterback Matt Moore gets the nod as Ryan Tannehill's balky knee isn't ready. I don't see this as much of an issue. Tannehill isn't that good, and Moore is one of the more capable number twos in the league.

After a week off the Steelers firm of Ben, Brown, and Bell are back. It's not a mystery as to what Pittsburgh wants to do here. Le'Veon Bell will get all the touches he wants as Miami's run defense was near the bottom of the league this year. The big plays will be there in the passing game for Pittsburgh once Bell gets established. I don't see this as much of a contest. 

Pittsburgh 31 Miami 16

4:40pm - New York Giants at Green Bay - Fox

This is the toughest game of the lot to pick, but with the Packers winning six in a row to take another North title it's hard to doubt them. Aaron Rodgers was a cold blooded killer during that run and Jordy Nelson was all world. The mystery is Davante Adams. The kid can play, but has been plagued by a case of the drops. Ty Montgomery gave Green Bay a running threat they had been struggling until late in the season to find, but the Giants have been very stingy against the run (and not terribly giving against the pass for that matter). This game will ride on Aaron Rodgers, which isn't such a bad deal for the Pack. 

Though they found a bit of a ground game of their own late in the year with Paul Perkins (a kid with a ton of potential) the way forward against the Packers is clearly through the air. That will be a huge challenge for the G-Men, especially with temps in the teens at kick off. Only the Texans averaged fewer points per game among the playoff entrants. If the Giants can pull of the upset they'll need Odell Beckham Junior to go off for something like 10/120 and two touchdowns. Eli Manning has been pedestrian all season, but don't sleep on the two time Super Bowl champ in January. 

Green Bay 24 NY Giants 17